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Some of the ladies at Liollio showed their support today for the Movember Foundation and our Liollio Movember Team by sporting some snazzy mustaches. Please help us raise awareness and funds to support research for the Movember Foundation at mobro.co/liollio.
A few images from the 2016 Annual Liollio group photo shoot...
West Ashley Institution Manny's Neighborhood Grill reopens after a fire closed the establishment for more than a year. Congratulations, we think it looks great! Read the West Of article here.
Liollio has had a great time collaborating with our friends at Bialosky Cleveland on the design for the proposed USC Beaufort Hilton Head Island Hospitality Management Facility. Check out some of the latest interior virtual reality renderings!
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View Bridge>
View Student Lounge>
Just a few images showing the progress of the Hardeeville Welcome Center Replacement in Hardeeville SC. Liollio is currently working on two Welcome Center Replacements in SC, one in Hardeeville and one in Fort Mill.
The men of Liollio pose for the Movember kick-off photo! Visit mobro.co/liollio to donate and help us raise funds and awareness for the Movember Foundation. The Movember Foundation is the only charity tackling men's health issues on a global scale year round. To learn more about the Movember Foundation, visit here.
The 2016 AIA Charleston Design + Service Awards were held last Friday, October 28th. Liollio was represented by a great group of approximately 20 including guests. This special event is held every three years and is an opportunity to come together in fellowship and celebrate the great work of our peers and colleagues here in the Lowcountry. An exceptional group of 28 submissions were received this year. Out of 28 submissions, 10 awards were given. Liollio was honored with two awards. A 2016 AIA Charleston Jury Citation was given to Liollio for Charleston Progressive Academy, and a Merit Award for Brighton Park Swim Club.
The following is a full list of awards. Congratulations to all the honorees!
Service Awards
Rob Turner for his work with the ACE Mentor Program
The Parks Conservancy
Enough Pie
Student Choice Award
Middleton Group for Lewis Barbecue in Charleston, South Carolina
Design Awards
Jury Citations
Liollio Architecture for Charleston Progressive Academy
Middleton Group for Blue Acorn 2
Goff D’Antonio for Mason Preparatory School
McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture for 400 Meeting Street
Merit Awards
Middleton Group for Gadsden House
LS3P Associates for The Vendue
Liollio Architecture for Brighton Park Swim Club
Honor Awards
LS3P Associates for LeCreuset Retail Boutique Store
Julia F Martin Architects for the Westendorff Building
Liollio is proud to announce Allie Beck, Associate AIA, as our November “Spotlight On” feature. A Masters of Architecture graduate at Clemson University, Allie relocated to Charleston in May to join our firm as Project Designer. We recently sat down for a Q&A with one of our newest team members.
How long have you lived in Charleston?
Almost 5 months. I moved here on my birthday then started work a week later. Before that I hadn’t really ever been to Charleston and kind of moved here on a whim. It’s paid off so far!
Where did you grow up?
Colleyville, Texas
What area of town do you live in?
I live in Harleston Village on the peninsula. It’s a 7 minute walk to Kaminsky’s (I’ve timed it), which is very dangerous.
Are you married?
LOL
Do you have children?
LOL
What are the top three things you like to do in your free time?
I used to do a lot of black and white analogue photography which is actually what brought me to architecture. I decided to take the hint when all my photographs were of buildings. I didn’t really have time to pursue it during architecture school. I’d like to pick it back up again.
Do you have any pets?
I have a black mollie fish named Ray, after Ray Eames.
Do you have any brothers/sisters? If so, where do you fall in the “line-up”?
I have a little brother who is 20 and in his third year of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M, and he already hates architects. I guess they start teaching that to engineers early now.I am the oldest. All of the stereotypes are true.
What building have you visited that most impressed you?
While I was studying abroad in Barcelona, my friends and I took a trip to Berlin one weekend and visited the Jewish Museum by Daniel Libeskind. While the building itself was impressive, I was blown away by the interior spaces. The “Voided Void”, or Holocaust Tower, was a huge empty silo with a single ray of light at the very top; out of reach. You were supposed to enter alone, and even though I knew my friends were right on the other side of the door, the architecture created such a total sense of loneliness and isolation. I’ll never forget it. I was pretty burnt out from architecture school before my study abroad and was beginning to reconsider my career choice. But that one room at the museum showed me the power of architecture and how it can affect people. It reignited my passion for this profession.
What architect or architecture firm most inspires you?
I have a huge architecture crush on Lake | Flato.
What is your favorite country you have traveled to and why?
Barcelona will always have my heart. I spent a semester there studying abroad in my junior year of college. It just completely rocked my whole perspective of the world.
What inspires you most?
I’m really inspired when details are as beautiful as the building. To me, that’s complete and total architecture.
What is the hardest part about your job?
Email. I feel the same way about email as I do about olives (see below).
What book do you plan to read?
Whatever is next in the line-up on my shelf at home. I have a whole shelf with books I haven’t read yet, so whenever I finish a book, I just grab the next one in line.
What is your favorite book?
This isn’t my favorite book I’ve read, but definitely my most favorite books I own. I grew up knowing my grandfather was an engineer, but I didn’t know he studied architecture until after I decided to study it in college. My grandmother gave me some of his architecture books, one of which is his old Architectural Graphic Standards from the 50’s with some of his hand-written notes in it. He’s no longer with us so it’s pretty special.
What is your favorite restaurant?
I wouldn’t really call it a restaurant, but I can always go for a Chipotle burrito.
What’s your favorite place in Charleston?
I really love getting onto the bridge in the evenings and coming up over the hill to see all of Downtown with the Ravenel Bridge behind it and boats in the water. It’s a nice thing to see on your way home from work.
What do you like on your pizza?
All the things.
What is your favorite food?
Spaghetti. In a bathtub. With a beer. For me there’s nothing better to cure a bad day than a really hot bath with all the fixings and a big bowl of spaghetti. Anything I’m struggling with seems pretty manageable after that.
What is your least favorite food?
Olives. I’ve tried them multiple times, they’re gross. I’m sorry to all the olive-lovers out there.
Dogs or cats?
Dogs! But only big dogs. Anything smaller than a Lab is considered a cat.
If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
A hummingbird! It would be my Patronus. They’re like nature’s little fighter jet planes.
Do you play any instruments?
I am very non-musically inclined.
If you could play an instrument, what would it be?
I could probably rock out on a tambourine.
What song is at the top of your most played list (be honest)?
This is embarrassing. Call Me Maybe is my official top played song. I was a camp counselor when the song first came out, and when energy got low with the kids we would blare it and make them dance to get energy back up. They loved it, and it’s still my top played song, which should tell you how often we played it that week. Dust to Dust by the Civil Wars is a favorite of mine, along with anything by Journey, but I’ve recently been listening to River by Bishop Briggs on a loop.
Who is your favorite musical artist?
Mumford & Sons. We saw them live in Barcelona while studying abroad and it was one of the more spiritual experiences of my life.
What’s your favorite movie?
The Sandlot. You’re killing me Smalls! Never gets old.
Favorite television show?
Any crime show. I love trying to unravel the crime. The best one is Criminal Minds, it can get pretty gnarly but I love the mixture of psychology with crime fighting, it’s absolutely fascinating.
What’s your astrological sign?
Gemini, but I don’t know what that means.
Last movie you watched?
While I was home for the hurricane, my mom and I watched the original Carrie on TV, a great kick off to the Halloween season.
Guilty pleasure?
Paranormal shows, mac n’ cheese, and drive through car washes.
What is the proudest moment of your life, thus far?
My last semester of grad school, one of my classmates signed up our entire class for intramural ultimate frisbee. None of us had ever played a game or knew the rules but we started taking 5-10 minute frisbee breaks from studio to practice and every Wednesday we would all leave studio together to go play our game for that week. And we were good! It was completely shocking. We kept winning and eventually it became an event for the entire college. Every Wednesday night, professors, students and administrators would leave the building together to watch us play. Like every great underdog story, we won the championship! It was a great last thing that our class accomplished together before we graduated.
It's that time of year. We are about to embark on Movember. Movember takes place during the month of November, and for 30 days we champion the mustache (and beard) and raise funds and awareness for men's health. We challenge ourselves to get physically active, we get together for a Movember event - any excuse for a good time and a good cause. There is strength in numbers, so Liollio is proud to rally a team to support the Movember Foundation. Stay tuned for more info on how you can help us and the Movember Foundation reach our goal of helping men live happier, healthier, longer lives! Visit the Liollio Movember page here.
Principals Dinos & Cherie Liollio of Liollio Architecture, Greg & Denise Broadwater, Alison Dawson, Andy Clark & Jennifer Charzewski attended the re-dedication ceremonies at the Charleston International Airport earlier this week. Several events celebrated the culmination of a five-year project – completely rebuilding the airport from the inside out with no reduction in service and no missed flights. Truly a team effort, the end result is a stunning transformation. Your travels, our pleasure!
Angie Brose and Jennifer Charzewski represented Liollio Architecture at the 2016 Fall Design Institute hosted by Library Journal in Charleston SC. This semi-annual event provides an opportunity for public and academic librarians and staff to come together and “start planning the library of the future today.” The group of about 100 toured 21st century facilities, discussed opportunities for renovating and retrofitting spaces large and small as well as planning for future projects, and explored the real-life design challenges faced by libraries through workshops and “speed sessions.” Liollio Architecture and Margaret Sullivan Studio worked with Dorchester County Public Library to provide an interactive workshop session related to activity-based programming for 21st century library services based on community needs. We may be biased, but we think we had the most creative groups and the outcomes were truly inspiring! We also enjoyed getting to know our great architectural colleagues from across the country who love library design as much as we do!
From Charleston Regional Business Journal
By Liz Segrist
lsegrist@scbiznews.com
Charleston International Airport’s look is no longer stuck in the 1980s.
The formerly dark interior, old carpet and brown tile floors that clacked loudly as suitcases rolled across them pegged the terminal to its decade of construction.
A $200 million renovation replaced that outdated style with modern, bright designs and new furniture equipped with outlets. Business leaders, airport employees and board members gathered this morning to rededicate the airport and celebrate the completion of the Terminal Redevelopment and Improvement Program.
Floor-to-ceiling windows and glass walls allow sunlight to stream in and give passengers a front-row view of the jets taking off and arriving. The security checkpoint has been consolidated from two locations to one, and more lanes have been added.
Charleston County Aviation Authority CEO Paul Campbell said an expansion was needed to handle passenger growth at the airport. Growth has averaged about 3% annually since 1985, but it has jumped nearly 70% since 2010, hitting 3.4 million passengers in 2015. Four million passengers are expected to come through next year.
The 31-year-old building required major updates to its technology infrastructure, heating and cooling systems and baggage claim. The airport also received a facelift with a more modern aesthetic, plus nine new restaurants and seven new retail shops.
The Charleston airport often makes the first and last impression on business travelers and tourists, and it should be an impactful gateway for the Lowcountry, Campbell said.
“It was aged, and it was time to do something with it, and the growth dictated that we needed additional capacity,” said Campbell, who is also a state senator for parts of Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties.
Officials consider the four-year project to be complete, though some work remains in a few areas — construction continues on three eateries, some art needs to be hung, and a memorial for the shootings at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston is slated to open in March.
Looking forward, airport leaders are now planning to build a Concourse C, add more airline ticketing space and build a parking deck.
“We’re in that 10-12% growth rate per year, and it’s not slowing down,” Campbell said. “Last year, the airline service grew 5%, and we grew over 10%, which is double what the rate is for the industry.”
Project Challenges
Officials said the biggest hurdle the project had to overcome was rebuilding the terminal on the existing footprint while keeping the airport functional — and accommodating more passengers each year.
Temporary eateries were set up. Passenger walkways were constantly rerouted, and signs directed travelers around the airport. Airlines were shuffled to whatever spaces were available as construction progressed. Thousands of employees, construction workers and travelers were on-site each day.
“Nobody anticipated the growth we were going through during construction,” Campbell said. “We were tearing down and rebuilding this airport while having 15,000 people a day. ... It was a real challenge to expand and rebuild the existing terminal at the same time.”
Campbell said a few flights were delayed because of construction but none were missed.
The airport board and staff faced other challenges, including budget increases to accommodate a clerestory structure in Concourse A to match the skylight-like feature in Concourse B. Money also had to be spent on asbestos remediation throughout the airport. Asbestos-containing materials were used during the original construction of the airport in the early 1980s, and demolition revealed hazardous materials. All of the asbestos-laced materials were safely removed according to state regulations.
From Charleston Post & Courier
By Robert Behre
rbehre@postandcourier.com
Yo u could make a case that the new Charleston International Airport is the Lowcountry's most important public building.
It might not handle law and governance, like a city hall or courthouse. It might not express our spiritual ideals, like a church or synagogue. And it doesn't nurture us or our memories like a hospital or museum.
But just from the standpoint of how many people will pass through its doors each year, the airport beats them all.
That's the view of architect Curt Fentress of the Denver-based Fen tress Architects, which oversaw the airport's $200 million-plus facelift with help from Liollio Architecture of Charleston.
"We really wanted to make the building have a much more inviting and receptive look, so that it was a welcoming gateway to Charleston," he says.
The result, being unveiled this month, is not an iconic piece of architecture but still a handsome makeover that harkens to a part of the Lowcountry that draws so many people to fly in here in the first place: the beach.
The single greatest change between the new and old airport building is the sun. Advances in high performance glass means the new terminal could have banks of large windows welcoming in far more natural light - without the heat gain that would overwhelm its air conditioners during half the year.
And the dominant white and cream color scheme inside accentuates the sense of lightness, while the tan and green hues of the terrazzo floor recall the shore, as do the tabby wall segments outside.
"To make this building feel like it has a sense of place and is related to Charleston, we did a study of colors and tried to pick up the Lowcountry color scheme with the sea green color and colors of the area." Some might feel the new airport was a missed opportunity for something more dramatic (think of Denver's airport with a sculpted roof canopy that pays tribute to the Rocky Mountain's snow capped peaks, or even of Eero Saarinen's TWA 1962 terminal in New York that celebrated the modern wonder of flight).
But Fentress. who worked on Denver's iconic airport, notes that the budget is a constraint.
As always with a renovation project, a lot of the budget is taken up by the unsexy: improved public restrooms, modernized mechanical and electrical systems, and better baggage handling.
And the work also improved the circulation, so those renting cars aren't bumping up against those collecting their luggage. There's now one security checkpoint, instead of two, and most of the retail and food service sits beyond it.
The more passengers an airport welcomes, the more money is available for the terminal building. The reality is Denver's airport is more than 10 times as busy as ours.
But the opportunity for a signature architectural gesture, at least for those approaching by car, largely was lost years ago when the Charleston County Aviation Authority built a new parking deck just outside the airports front door.
The deck, designed by Charleston's LS3P Associates Ltd., largely blocks the view of the airport.
A series of airy covered walkways with exposed trusses of white steel successfully marry the deck with the building.
So while those approaching the airport by car don't get a dramatic sense of entrance, those approaching on foot will. The new terminal's Central Hall provides its grandest gesture.
And the design features a neat trick: half the hall is before security, while the other half is behind it, though the glass wall separating the two is barely visible to those walking in the door. It reads as one space.
The 48-foot-tall ceiling also was made possible by shifting the offices off to the side, Fentress says.
While little of the airport harkens to Charleston's architectural traditions, the circular dome rising from the ceiling of the Central Hall, is a classic shape.
The series of windows even have an accent of cables, as if one could walk around up there (which they can't).
And at the edge of the Central Hall, where the glass abuts the tarmac, stands an important piece of history, a small wrought iron gazebo built by the late legendary blacksmith Philip Simmons.
While the newly renovated terminal might not take its place as a Lowcountry icon, those passing through its doors and gates will get a sense of why so many people are arriving here.
From Charleston Post & Courier
By Warren L. Wise
wwise@postandcourier.com
Elizabeth Snyder flies in and out of Charleston International Airport several times a month on business. She remembers the dark brown walls, the clickety-clack tile floors and the lack of power-charging stations for today's plugged-in passengers.
For the better part of the past four years, Snyder, along with about 3.5 million fellow fliers coming and going, encountered the exposed duct work and wiring, temporary walls and slew of construction workers as the $200 million expansion and renovation consumed the state's busiest airport terminal.
"Everybody was just kind of jammed together," the North Charleston resident said. "They did a good job of directing you where you needed to go, but sometimes you had to look twice because it would change from week to week." The finished product evokes a different reaction.
"Everything moves smoothly now," Snyder said. "It's so bright and cheerful. I think it's a very welcoming place for all the people coming to visit Charleston. It's also easy for those of us just trying to get through it." Her favorite part is the dome over the Central Hall.
"It's beautiful," she said. "It lets so much light in." While a few minor touch-ups remain, on Tuesday, Charleston County Aviation Authority, which oversees the airport, will celebrate completion of the terminal's expansion by one-third.
The four-year project pumped more than $211 million into the local economy and supported 1,400 jobs. The airport, itself, is an economic powerhouse in the region.
The Central Hall at Charleston International Airport serves as the architectural centerpiece
of the $200 million renovation and expansion of the terminal.
More than $1 billion flow into the Charleston area's economy each year from jobs at the terminal and its tenants, including those generated by visiting air travelers, according to the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce. The airport's 1,000-plus jobs support another 3,000 in the region.
"It's a big impact for the Charleston community, and it's the first impression people see of the area," Airport CEO Paul Campbell said. "It's important to have a first-class facility for all the people traveling through Charleston now."
Navigating the Glitches
Piloting the construction project wasn't always a smooth ride, though. Campbell, who plans to step down after steering the airport for the past three years once a replacement is hired, likened the work to a mother giving birth. "Sometimes it wasn't so much fun, but in retrospect, it wasn't all that bad," Campbell said.
Along with the challenges of making sure about 450 construction workers were vetted and properly badged to work behind security lines at the airport, a few minor mishaps also put the staff to the test.
One Sunday, early on during construction, the United Airlines office flooded in about 4-5 inches of rainwater after a drainage pipe leading from the roof clogged at ground level. The water backed up and poured through the ceiling. "We were in there with towels and rags sopping up the water," Campbell said.
In another instance, a piece of hot metal slag from a work er's torch as he cut through metal dropped on an American Airlines' office desk and caused a small fire. "The airline workers were close by to catch it before it became anything serious," Campbell said. "It wasn't a big event. It was just aggravating." The discovery of asbestos in some of the walls slowed the project down as well and added $1.4 million to the cost.
Other add-ons and scope of work changes, including an architectural element known as a "clerestory" on the Delta wing, delayed the project, which originally was set for completion in August 2015.
Airport dignitaries officially broke ground in October 2012 on the area where the new rental car pavilion is now located, though construction didn't start until a few months later.
Today, the terminal looks little like it did four years ago. The dark brown walls and floors have given way to a brighter, cleaner look while yards of floor-to-ceiling new windows pour light into the building.
"It's just much more open now," Campbell said. "It's pleasant to move around in." Campbell, a retired Alcoa executive, was tapped to lead the airport when former director Sue Stevens suddenly resigned in 2013, citing bullying by what was then an all-male board and filing a complaint of gender discrimination. The action was eventually settled out of court.
But her departure and the turmoil that ensued came at a critical time for the airport. Officials were about to borrow $170 million by issuing bonds to pay for the terminal's makeover. "It was a bit of a challenge," Campbell said. "The bond people were concerned because the airport had no executive director. They were having to struggle with what the rating would be or even if they could place the bonds." Eventually, the Aviation Authority hired Campbell, with his corporate experience, and smoothed things over with the bond folks to borrow the money to pay for the work.
Crowning Touch
One of the ideas that came out of talks for the new terminal included a dome as the architectural centerpiece in the Central Hall. Former board chairman Chip Limehouse first offered the concept, one he now calls "an architecturally significant" aspect at the gateway to the Lowcountry.
"It was a long, hard-fought battle to get it, but it prevailed," Limehouse said. "It goes to show you what the community working together can do." The airport, built in 1985, added five gates to bring t he total to 15, a third baggage carousel and a consolidated security checkpoint with eight lanes, replacing the Transportation Security Administration's separate and unwieldy stations at the entrances to each concourse.
All of the jet bridges are new, along with $10 million in vendor upgrades. "It's been a real journey, but it's not over," Campbell said.
A new Hudson retail store will soon be added to Delta wing along with Charleston Beer Works restaurant and bar. And the memorial to the victims and families of the 2015 shootings at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston is set to open in March. Last week, golfing legend Jack Nicklaus was at the airport to help open one of airport's new dining options, Golden Bear Grill.
Plans are already in the works to begin construction next summer on a second parking deck. In 2018, the ticket hall could be expanded to add more airlines. And by 2021, airport officials could be looking to add a third wing with more gates to handle the expected 4-plus million passengers a year by then.
"It's hard to keep up with the way we are growing," Campbell said. "But it's a good problem to have."
The Central Hall at Charleston International Airport as it looked before
the terminal's $200 million overhaul.
Liollio's Sarah Glass, Associate AIA, was recognized for design excellence at the 2016 South Atlantic Region (SAR) AIA Design Awards Gala in Savannah GA. A native of Charleston SC and a graduate of Clemson University, Sarah returned to Charleston in May after receiving her Masters Degree in Architecture to join Liollio as Project Designer. Sarah and collaborator, Beth Koeppel, Associate AIA, who is currently with Kaas Wilson Architects in Minneapolis MN, were presented with a Merit Design Award for Changing Perspectives, a new campus master plan for South Carolina State University in Orangeburg SC. South Carolina State is looking for bold ways to revitalize a campus that will equip students with the tools, support and environment they need to succeed. This project looks at a new student center in the core of campus as the first step in the process to give order to the campus master plan, offer access to the newest technologies and provide a place to meet, gather and learn. This open and transparent building will change perspectives as South Carolina State’s presence continues to grow in the south.
Liollio Architecture was well represented by an enthusiastic contingent and garnered two design awards as well, one for St. Helena Library in St. Helena Island SC, and the other for the preservation to the U.S. Custom House in Charleston SC.
Congratulations to Sarah Glass, Beth Koeppel and all the honorees for their outstanding work!
We are proud to announce the completion of the new, three-year, multi-phase expansion of the Charleston International Airport (CHS). The expansion allowed the airport to increase the capacity of the terminal from 2.5 million to 4 million passengers annually.
“Passenger traffic has more than doubled since 2001 and we know from our own studies that the growth is continuing at a rate faster than our projections,” said Paul G. Campbell, Jr., executive director and CEO of the Charleston County Aviation Authority. The airport recently surpassed the Port of Charleston in economic impact, adding $6.75 billion to the area’s economy per the South Carolina Port Authority and Center for Business Research.
The renovation and expansion of the airport is part of the CHS Terminal Redevelopment and Improvement Program (TRIP). The upgrade came just as Boeing increased jobs in the region and both Southwest and JetBlue expanded flight operations to Charleston. The Fentress team, in association with local firm Watson Tate Savory Liollio, dramatically enhanced the existing terminal, expanding the number of gates on Concourses A and B from 10 to 15; consolidating security into a single, unified checkpoint; and providing a new baggage handling system and new central energy plant. A rental car facility was added adjacent to the airport, streamlining the visitor experience.
The design of the new 25-foot-tall Central Hall gives the airport a “heart,” and gives visitors a visual connection from curbside to ticketing and baggage claim as they enter the area that is now bathed in light from the central dome and clerestory windows. A floor-to-glass curtainwall opens onto the airfield, connecting passengers and meeter/greeters with a transparent line from security. Opening the core of the terminal involved moving a full set of administrative offices to a new area, raising the ceiling and re-conceiving what had been a rectangular skylight.
In addition to new gates, the concourses underwent complete renovations that included new seating areas and restrooms. The improved amenities increase the comfort level of passengers, and feature power, comfortable seating and raised tables, giving passengers more options while they’re waiting. A new concession program goes hand in hand with the renovation, bringing local and regional vendors into the airport. The Fentress design blurs the distinction between gate holding areas and concessions; research shows that passengers feel more comfortable shopping and dining when they can see their gate and feel confident they won’t miss their flight.
Curtis Fentress, lead designer and Principal in Charge of Design, grew up in rural North Carolina and drew heavily upon his own experiences to design the new terminal. Sustainability and the use of Charleston’s abundant natural daylight were two important elements of the design, with colors and finishes inspired by the landscape of the Lowcountry where the land meets the water. Historic precedents such as the “single house” inspired planning principles where public spaces replace gardens and front porches. A simple, strong and modern interpretation of the immediate environment provides the foundation for a revitalized gateway to historic Charleston. The design promotes openness with visual connectivity, and allows for future flexibility in operations and technology. Fentress notes that, “In Charleston, southern hospitality lives side by side with a rich urbanism. We wanted to design an airport that was polished and modern, yet captured that southern sense of openness, charm, and hospitality.”
The entire renovation was done while keeping the airport operational; the design team accomplished this with efficient and meticulous planning. Part of the process was to calculate how to maximize operations and reroute passengers. Having extensive airport experience – the firm has designed fifteen airports all over the United States, Asia and the Middle East — Fentress staff knows the importance of balancing safety concerns with a work schedule to create a seamless upgrade.
The terminal has gone from a dark, dated interior to a warm and uplifting one with expanded capacity for growth. These changes are imperative to the economy of Charleston as it transforms from sleepy regional area to one of the hottest tourist destinations in the southern United States.
Liollio would like to thank all who've made this very complex project a huge success!
Liollio Architecture was recognized for design excellence at the 2016 South Atlantic Region (SAR) AIA Design Awards Gala in Savannah GA, and was the only firm from South Carolina awarded multiple honors. Held every three years, this year’s jury received roughly 200 submissions from Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. The firm was well represented by an enthusiastic contingent, and garnered two design awards, one for St. Helena Library in St. Helena Island SC, and the other for the preservation to the U.S. Custom House in Charleston SC.
The jury comments that Steve Dumez, FAIA, read while presenting the award for the New Construction/Substantial Renovation Merit Award for St. Helena Library were: “Links to cultural identity, the natural landscape and the creation of beautiful, human scaled spaces produce a project that announces itself as a vibrant gathering space for its community. Through direct and simple means, a poetic atmosphere is introduced within the project. References to the rich history and culture of the people and place are shaped with a strength of purpose. The architecture of the library clearly grows out of this landscape’s vital context, presenting us with an inspirational, rather than literal, illustration of the history it embodies.”
When presenting the Honor Award for the U.S. Custom House, jury comments were: “A return to stateliness of the U.S. Custom House is evidence of an inspired preservation project that combines investigative research with contemporary construction technique. To complete the dramatic interior renovation, issues with moisture control and water infiltration required meticulous and complicated maneuvers. The dramatic transformation of the central cortile, with the return to its original Victorian era color scheme, provides a rich and theatrical focal point for this impressive historic restoration project.”
Principal Dinos Liollio joined panelists at the Charleston Regional Business Journal's Power Breakfast last Thursday. Panelists discussed how the Lowcountry seems to have recovered from the recession and is now seeing the effects of pent-up demand for capital projects.
From Charleston Regional Business Journal
By Liz Segrist
Photo: Kim McManus
Several years after the recession, construction is booming and cranes are looming over new developments throughout Charleston.
The demand for buildings in the multifamily, residential, commercial, higher education, health care and mixed-use segments remains high as the region’s population grows, according to several panelists at the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s Power Breakfast on Thursday in North Charleston.
“Charleston has been so blessed,” said Dinos Liollio, principal of Liollio Architecture. “We have been greatly insulated — if not isolated to some extent — from the recession that the country as a whole has felt. ... I think what we’re seeing now is all of the pent-up demand that has been created over the last five to six years as a result of the down economy. We are seeing it in higher ed, particularly now that so many people can go forward with their capital campaigns.”
Janette Alexander, a design and construction project manager for Charleston County, said she believes Charleston is out of the recession, although she said the region did not reach the same depths of economic crisis as other cities.
“We were very, very busy pre-recession and it does feel like we’re back and beyond that,” said Alexander, also a member of Charleston’s Board of Architectural Review. “Beyond the dam bursting of pent-up work that needed to happen, it seems like there is a lot of optimism on where Charleston is going.”
Chappy McKay, development vice president and partner at Trident Construction in Charleston, said the Lowcountry is “somewhat in a sprint between cycles.”
Although he has seen a lot of need for new construction in the last two years, he said some segments are slowing down. A somewhat muffled economy is buoyed by the region’s manufacturing sector, tech industries and the region’s ability to attract new businesses and residents, McKay said.
Melissa Polutta, owner of Trash Gurl LLC, a waste management business, said Charleston’s ability to draw new industry, tourists and residents enabled many construction companies to get back on their feet post-recession.
Her company, which she co-founded with her husband, Jeff, in 2009, has expanded with new services and new projects, including work on Volvo Cars’ new automotive campus under construction in Berkeley County.
Phillip Ford, executive vice president of Charleston Home Builders Association, said permits are up and demand is strong for new housing and residential communities.
Ford said the region faces a major challenge regarding adequate infrastructure — such as more highway capacity and improved roads — to handle the growth.
Finding enough skilled workers to meet the region’s housing needs is another major hurdle for the homebuilding and construction industries.
“Our concern is can we keep up with demand? There is a lack of trained labor. We can’t find anyone to frame houses or plumb houses,” Ford said. “So you can sell houses, but if you can’t build them, that’s a problem. Selling them is not a problem. Building them is, at the moment.”
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Developers want to put a 20-pump gas station at the site of a former Piggly Wiggly supermarket in West Ashley. Charleston’s Design Review Board rejected the design Monday for the proposed development.
“This is not the image we want to signify the entrance to West Ashley.”
From The Post & Courier
By Warren L. Wise
wwise@postandcourier.com
Dozens of West Ashley residents packed a standing room only Charleston meeting to voice their objections to plans for a new gas station at the site of a former grocery store this week.
Charlotte-based Faison and Associates wants to construct a 20-pump Sunoco A-Plus convenience store and gas station on the triangular parcel housing a shuttered Piggly Wiggly supermarket on Sumar Street.
For nearly two hours, more than five dozen area residents along with city staff and the Design Review Board objected to the proposal or its design.
The panel made it clear to the opposition that it "has no authority to tell anyone they can’t build a gas station" at the key intersection of Sam Rittenberg Boulevard and Old Towne Road because zoning rules allow that use.
Erica Chase of the Design Review Board said the project needs a "unique site plan" because it’s proposed for a "gateway location" in West Ashley.
City architect Dennis Dowd said the developer should "not be taking a prototype and dropping it into a site. The site is special and the architecture should be special."
The board agreed and unanimously rejected design plans for the proposed gas station.
The DRB’s Kristen Krause recommended the developer work with residents to come up with a design everyone could support and suggested they "ponder something more unique for the site."
Faison was proposing a convenience store not as tall as one it presented earlier this summer. It included landscaping and buffers along with a parcel left for future development. A bike rack and outdoor seating also were proposed.
"With additional buffer requirements, you won’t see the gas station," landscape architect J.R. Kramer said.
That did little to appease nearby residents. One by one they marched to the microphone or stood up to object to the project.
"This is not the image we want to signify the entrance to West Ashley," said Dinos Liollio, Principal at Liollio Architecture.
City Councilman Keith Waring said, "When I look at the design, it looks like anywhere USA."
City Councilman Peter Shahid added, "We are not opposed to the gas station. We are opposed to the mass of the project. The gateway aspect of this project is vitally important to the redevelopment of West Ashley. This is going to kill it."
Not everyone spoke out against the proposal.
"I think it’s a good use of the property," said Tommy Goldstein.
The next step for the gas station concept has not been determined, Sunoco spokesman Jeff Shields said after the meeting.
"We are reviewing our options," he said.
Liollio's Geoff Mohney & Allie Beck helping out during last week's Adopt-A-Highway clean up.
